Bajaj Pulsar NS200

The Bajaj Pulsar NS200 is not sharply designed but it has muscular curves at all the right places. Its engine is of 200cc. But its latest facelift, the Pulsar 200NS bears a sporty look, with all the new decals and the matte paint finishes.

Average: 35kmpl

Price: 1, 11,533 with ABS (ex-showroom price)

KTM RC200

KTM India has finally entered its supersport bike, the RC200 with ABS system. Apart from ABS, the two variants are identical to each other. It is available in 2 colors and 2 variants. Its engine is of 200c.

Average: 30kmpl

Price: 1, 75,000 (ex-showroom price)

Yamaha YZF R15 V3

Motorcycle with ht ABS system and alloy wheel. It has been updated with a dual channel ABS. It is the third version of Yamaha R15. Its engine displacement (cc) is of 155cc. The Yamaha YZF-R15 Version 3.0 is the sportiest motorcycle in the 150cc category. It is also one of Yamaha’s most successful sports bike in India.

Average: 48kmpl

Price: 1, 40,000 (ex-showroom price)

Suzuki 2019 Gixxer SF

It provides ABS system with a single channel. It has alloy wheels. It has updated with the LCD instrument cluster and clip-on handlebars. It has engine displacement (cc) of 155cc. The updated model has one piece of the seat and another seat is removable. It is available in 1 variant and 2 colors.

Average: 47kmpl

Price: 1, 10,000 (ex-showroom price)

Yamaha FZ-Fi Version 3.0         

It has an ABS system and disc brake in it. There is also an ECO indicator to enable more fuel-efficient riding. Its new LED highlight provides a wide range of visibility. It weighs 137kg with an improved engine. The new FZS-FI model mounts an air-cooled 4-stroke 149cc.

Average:

Price: 97, 680 (ex-showroom price)

The Correspondent Bureau

The post It’s Time to Wroom appeared first on The Correspondent.

Get behind the scenes in Bollywood

After opening its exclusive doors only to actors for decades, Film City Studio in Mumbai has now partnered with the state tourism department to offer visitors a chance to step into their favourite Bollywood movies, or at least the sets where they were filmed.

One of India’s largest film studios, Film City offers weekend bus tours to both indoor and outdoor shooting sets for such hit movies such as Shah Rukh Khan’s Happy New Year and Josh, to name just a few. Visitors can get lucky with snapping photographs of celebrities too, as stars regularly visit the canteen on the premises.

For a more detailed look at the industry, tour companies such as Viator, Mumbai Film City Tours and Thrillophilia offer group tours giving insight into different aspects of Indian film-making, including its history and growth, the technical processes of editing and dubbing, and iconic movie locations. As in Los Angeles, you can also take a tour of the lavish, or sometimes humble, homes where some of India’s top cinema stars live or were born. Khaki Tours and the Mumbai Darshan Tour (run by Maharashtra Tourism) are reliable options.

Hit the Mumbai theater trail

Mumbai historians take pride in the fact that the very first Indian movie, Raja Harishchandra, filmed in 1913 by Dadasaheb Phalke using cameras, lights and projectors shipped over from Europe and America, has its origins in the city. In the heyday of Indian cinema that followed the end of WWII, Sandhurst Road – today occupied by the railway lines of the Harbour local line – stretched from Girgaum Chowpatty to Dongri, lined with the grandest movie theatres of its time: the Olympia, the Coronation, the New Alhambra, the Majestic.

Most of these have vanished or now stand as forlorn shells, lost in time, owing to the onslaught of multiplex culture. However, a handful can still be visited, screening mostly obscure regional movies, in a setting of decaying art-deco grandeur. Cinephiles should seek out the Alfred Theatre near Kamathipura, or the nostalgically dilapidated Nishant Talkies, New Roshan Talkies and Moti Talkies, dating from the transition away from silent films, dotted between Grant Road and Sandhurst Road.

To catch newly launched Bollywood movies in a classic theatre setting, head to the graceful, art deco Regal Cinema on Colaba Causeway, the rocketship-shaped Eros at Churchgate, or the Metro INOX Cinema(originally built and run by MGM, the Hollywood Studio), still sitting pretty at Marine Lines.

Having completed the movie theatre trail, tourists can head to the recently reopened Royal Opera House near Girgaum Chowpatty, an architectural marvel from 1912. As well as hosting the opera talent of its day, the place is also credited with being the making of the Kapoor Khandaan family, the first proper Bollywood dynasty, who grew up watching stage shows and musicals at the opera house in the dying days of the Raj.

Locations, locations, locations

Unless you have an encyclopedic knowledge of Bollywood films, it may help to hire a guide, or at least a taxi and driver, to explore the most prominent landmarks in the city that have doubled up as movie locations. Start with the Gateway of India and the iconic Taj Mahal Palace hotel – settings for many a Bollywood dance routine – or head to the Colaba and Bora Bazaar markets that featured prominently in Aamir Khan’s Talaash and Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol respectively.

Film-makers have long been drawn to the scenic promenade of Marine Drive, where parts of the motorcycle action thriller Dhoom, 2003 comedy-drama Munnabhai MBBS, and coming-of-age film Wake Up Sid was filmed. There’s something undeniably cinematic about the crowds of young Mumbaikers gathering on the edge of the urban sprawl to soak up the fresh breezes and calming sunrises and sunsets. Come in the wee hours of the morning, when the city wakes up.

Next, head on to Bandra, the swanky northern suburb whose boutiques, bars and restaurants cater to many movie stars and icons of the industry. Stroll around Bandstand, Carter Road, Chapel Road, Pali-Hill and the Worli Sea Link and you may spot a star or two in the flesh.

Alternatively, wander through the surrounding backroads and narrow by-lanes, where you’ll stumble across larger-than-life murals depicting classic Bollywood movies, such as the 1960 historical drama masterpiece Mughal-E-Azam and superstars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, and Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema.

Off-Beat Bollywood Locations

Not all movie locations are glamorous. A number of agencies run trips to the vast slum area of Dharavi, where parts of Slumdog Millionaire were shot. This doesn’t have to be an intrusive experience. however. On the best trips, guides from the community will introduce you to local people and explain not just the area’s significance to Bollywood, but also how its fame has helped residents transform their lives. In the process, you’ll be providing work and income for Dharavi residents.

Another interesting spot is the Mahalakshmi Dhobi Ghat, where thousands of washermen make their daily living pummelling the laundry of city residents in concrete washtubs in the open air. Bollywood paid tribute to their energetic trade in the namesake movie Dhobi Ghat.

Any list of popular movie locations in Mumbai would be incomplete without a mention of its beaches: Juhu, Girgaum Chowpatty, and Aksa beaches. An untold number of films have set their stars on the sand, with Juhu the beach of choice for cast-of-hundreds song-and-dance numbers. See it in its prime in the 1971 Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan flick Anand.

There’s one more cinematic experience we shouldn’t overlook. Film-makers periodically drop by Apollo Bunder and the cheap backpacker guesthouses of Colaba when they need extras for crowd scenes, offering a modest daily payment in exchange for a fascinating glimpse at how Bollywood works from in front of the camera.

The Correspondent Bureau

The post Light, Camera and Action: Exploring Cinematic Mumbai appeared first on The Correspondent.

Though the Ghats on average reach 915m, in Tamil Nadu they tower over 2500m high in the Nilgiri Hills – where you’ll meet Ooty, ‘Queen of Hill Stations’ – and the Palani Hills near Kodaikanal. Across the border in Kerala, some of the world’s highest-altitude tea plantations sprawl around Munnar. In between, tigers, elephants, langur monkeys, chital deer and gaur (Indian bison) flit through the unspoilt wilderness of several contiguous protected parks.

Ooty, queen of the Nilgiri Hills

It was British colonials who originally sought refuge from the sweltering lowland heat in these cool, mist-shrouded mountains of native shola(virgin forest), founding South India’s eccentric collection of hill stations. Today, it is Indian holidaymakers rather than foreign tourists who flock to the Western Ghats seeking cool air, natural beauty and green serenity.

The major town of the Unesco-designated Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve – a highly biodiverse 5520-sq-km area that flows across northwest Tamil Nadu into Kerala and Karnataka – the typically frenzied yet historically captivating town of Ooty (Udhagamandalam; 2240m) is Tamil Nadu’s most popular hill station. Like its Himalayan siblings, it was founded in the early 19^th century, when Madras (now Chennai) was the capital of British India’s Madras Presidency. Ooty is also the springboard for exploring Tamil Nadu’s wildlife-rich Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, just northwest.

Ooty’s Hindu temples, lively bazaar, chaotic centre and pedalboat-sprinkled lake give way to flower-wreathed English-style lanes, passing splendid Raj-era buildings like the red-hued, still-operating 1867 Nilgiri Library, and St Stephen’s Church, dating from 1829. Many of these have been reimagined as exquisite heritage hotels: cosy 1855 bungalow Lymond House, or the early 19^th-century Taj brand Savoy.

But this is still, of course, South India, and you’ll feast on tasty idlis, vadas, dosas and pure-veg thalis aplenty in Ooty’s restaurants. Beyond the town, you can escape into the forested hills on guided treks to tea plantations and tribal villages, or visit the 2633m Doddabetta viewpoint, the Nilgiris’ tallest.

Before the arrival of the British, the Nilgiris’ sole inhabitants were its distinct tribal communities, most well known among them the Ooty-area Toda, who dress in striking black-and-red embroidered shawls. The Tribal Research Centre Museum, 10km southwest of town, is worth a stop for its fascinating exhibits and displays on these tribal communities. Beyond the museum lies the beautiful, little-visited Avalanche Valley, reachable only on official forest department ‘ecotours’.

A cuppa in Coonoor

Bustling Coonoor (1720m) sits 20km southeast of Ooty, encircled by an emerald-green sea of tea plantations. Upper Coonoor (not hectic central Coonoor) makes a more peaceful alternative Nilgiri base to Ooty, with easy access to superb viewpoints, the 50-year-old Highfield Tea Estate, and such gorgeous heritage accommodation as 1900s British bungalow 180° McIver. Meanwhile, quiet Kotagiri (1800m), 30km east of Ooty, is the Nilgiris’ original hill station: its earthy-red Sullivan Memorial is the 1819 house of Ooty founder John Sullivan.

With the Nilgiris, half the fun is getting here – ideally aboard the celebrated British-built, narrow-gauge Nilgiri Mountain Railway. Awarded World Heritage status by Unesco, the blue-and-cream-coloured ‘toy’ train trundles between Mettupalayam in the plains and Ooty, via Coonoor, traversing tunnels, tackling bridges and passing ever-more-spectacular forest and tea-plantation views; you might even spy a wild elephant pushing through the undergrowth.

Kodaikanal, princess of the Palani Hills

Ringed by the protected Palani Hills, 250km southeast of Ooty, Tamil Nadu’s 2100m-high ‘Princess of Hill Stations’, Kodaikanal (Kodai), is all the more atmospheric when (often) veiled in mist. Unusually, Kodai was founded in 1845 not by moustachioed British Empire officials but by American missionaries escaping malaria in the Madurai lowlands and has its own distinct character punctuated by its international school, organic-fired cuisine and popularity with Indian honeymooners.

Rowboats bob on the star-shaped lake, and the hazy surrounding hillsides are carpeted with shola forest – found only in the Western Ghats – and kurinji shrubs, which blossom in lavender-blue just once every 12 years (including in 2018!). Walks thread through forests to horizon-reaching viewpoints, shimmering lakes, and the budget-traveller haven of Vattakanal village (4.5km southwest of Kodai), which has the sociable vibe of a miniature South Indian Manali.

If you’re feeling adventurous, there are two-day treks (with guides) across to Munnar in Kerala via Top Station (1880m), with glorious views over the Ghats. The long-running and reputable trekking outfit Tracks & Trails offer guided walks and insider expertise. Stars of Kodai’s accommodation scene include expertly run eco-friendly Cinnabar homestay, and the high-end, lake-view Carlton, a majestic colonial-era mansion, or choose to retreat to eco-focused Elephant Valley in the Palani Hills below, where elephants wander the 48-hectare grounds.

Munnar: tea, cardamom and cooking classes

Just over the border in serene Kerala, Munnar (1524m) is the hustle-bustle hub of South India’s major tea growing area. Much like Ooty, Munnar’s commercial, traffic-choked centre fades fast as you venture out into its mellow, enticingly green valleys and hills, where cottages hide amid the glinting leaves of manicured tea and cardamom plantations.

You can join guided treks to high-altitude mountain outlooks and tea estates and tour the model Tea Museum, or get hands-on with delicately spiced Keralan cuisine at a cooking class with respected food writer Nimi Sunilkumar. Among Munnar’s mountain escapes, gorgeous family-run homestay Rose Gardens shines for its cooking courses, valley vistas and coconut-pancake breakfasts.

The post Exploring India’s Western Ghats appeared first on The Correspondent.

Parineeti is styled in an umbrella-sleeved pink blouse with a block-printed lehenga. The actor has let her hairs loose and kept the look simple yet elegant. A handsome necklace is breaking the monotony of the look. ‘Gateway to Romance’ has been prominently highlighted on the cover of the magazine and also includes ‘The Adventures of Parineeti Chopra’.

On the work front, Chopra has been roped for the Hindi remake of the popular thriller ‘The Girl On The Train’. The remake hasn’t been officially titled yet. The makers are eyeing a release for the film in 2020.

Parineeti will play an alcoholic divorcee, who becomes involved in a missing person’s investigation in the film. Apart from this, Parineeti also has other movies in the pipeline including ‘Jabariya Jodi’ with Sidharth Malhotra, ‘Sandeep Aur Pinky Farrar’ alongside Arjun Kapoor, Saina Nehwal’s biopic and multi-starrer ‘Bhuj: The Pride Of India’.

The Correspondent Bureau with inputs from agencies

The post Parineeti Chopra poses as a cool bride for Femina Wedding Times cover appeared first on The Correspondent.

Summers are also an excellent time to lose all that belly fat. Your metabolism is generally higher during summer (and you thought there’s nothing good about the scorching weather). A high protein diet really helps facilitate weight loss, but make sure you consult your nutritionist first; too much protein intake is also said to cause tummy problems. If your nutritionists allow, you can give it a go. Protein helps induce satiety. If you feel full you would naturally binge less.

Berry Protein Shake

Protein shakes make for an ideal post-workout snack. It is filling and helps recover muscle loss and aids weight loss. Since summers are all about refreshing summer berries, how about blending them in a delectable protein shake. Berries are full of antioxidants and are filled with weight loss and heart-friendly fibers too. Take a handful of (about 7-10) strawberries, cape gooseberries (rasbhari) or blackberries (Jamun) in a blender, add to it half cup whipped cottage cheese, 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon chia seeds and some honey. Blend until smooth.

Flaxseed Raita

Raita is one summer essential that we can have at any point of the day. It is cooling, light and helps digestion. This yummy flaxseed raita boasts all things summery and protein. Flaxseeds (18 gm of protein per 100 gm) are said to be one of the best sources of plant-based protein. Yogurt is a dairy product, which makes it an excellent protein source too. The raita also makes use of summer staples like mint and lauki, making it one filling dish in itself.

Ghia Chana Dal

Dal of any form could prove to be one of your ultimate desi protein fixes as it contains 9 gm of protein per 100 gm portion. This yummy dal is made with bits of lauki (or bottle gourd) too. Ghia chana dal one of the most famous dal preparations up North. Try to keep the content of clarified butter in check.

Strawberry Quinoa Pancakes

Quinoa, the pseudo-cereal, is grabbing many eyeballs in the world of health and nutrition. It contains around 4 gm of protein per 100 gm portion. Gone are the days when it was considered only to be an amazing salad ingredient. Quinoa can be super versatile and fun; this high-protein ingredient can be used to make pancakes too. Strawberries add a deliciously tangy summer element to the recipe. 

 Paneer Tikka

Tikkas and tandoori preparations are a weight-loss friendly alternative to fried snacks that are laden in calories. Paneer, or cottage cheese, is a good source of plant-based protein as it contains 11 gm of protein per 100 gm. Make sure you make your tikkas at home and do not buy the greasy ones available outside. 

Don your aprons and start cooking. Let us know which ones you liked the most.

The post Summer Recipes: You Must Try To Load Up On Protein appeared first on The Correspondent.

Supplies Needed:

• Fruit — whatever kind you like (except no bananas); make sure it’s good and ripe for maximum sweetness and flavour. You can use all kinds of citrus and berries.pineapple and watermelon to work well for flavouring water. If you don’t want to buy whole ones, many grocery stores sell small containers of pre-cut fruit.
• Herbs — these are optional, but many herbs are a surprising complement to fruit flavours; almost any herb will work depending on your personal preference
• Jars or pitchers — You can use 2-quart mason jars primarily, but any 2-quart pitcher will do.
  
• Fruit infusion pitcher–one of these–it’s another option if you think you’ll be making infused waters regularly; a very easy, tidy way to strain fruit from water.
  
• Fruit infusion water bottle–this a portable, on-the-go option.M
• Muddler or wooden spoon for mashing fruit and herbs
• water — use filtered water, but regular tap water is fine if yours tastes good to you

Fresh vs. frozen fruit: When in season, you should prefer to use fresh fruit. However, when the fruit is out of season, the fresh version can be tart or flavourless. Because fruit that is to be frozen is picked at the peak of ripeness, it is often the better option for the best flavour, sweetness, and nutrients. This is especially to be the case with berries and peaches.

All Citrus Flavored Water: (adds refreshing tartness to water) — slice 1 orange, 1 lime, 1 lemon into rounds, then cut the rounds in half. Add to jar, press and twist with a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon. Press enough to release some of the juices, but don’t pulverize the fruit into pieces. Fill the jar with ice. Pour in water to the top. Stir it with the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick. Put a lid on it, put it in the fridge, and chill. 

You can drink it right away, but the flavour intensifies if it’s made an hour or two ahead. It’s even better the next day. 24 hours later straight from the fridge. The ice at the top serves as a sieve so that you can pour the flavoured water without getting fruit bits in your glass.

Raspberry Lime Flavored Water: (beautiful colour and mildly tart) — Quarter 2 limes; with your hands, squeeze the juice into the jar, then throw in the squeezed lime quarters. Add raspberries. Press and twist with a muddler to release some of the juices (don’t pulverize the fruit). Fill the jar with ice, then add water to the top. Stir, cover, and refrigerate.

Pineapple Mint Flavored Water: (a hint of minty sweetness). Add a sprig of mint to the jar–you can throw in the whole sprig; or, remove the leaves from the sprig, if you prefer to have the mint swimming around and distributing in the jar. Muddle the mint–the goal is to bruise the leaves and release their flavour–don’t pulverize them into bits. Add pineapple pieces, press and twist with the muddler to release juices. Add ice to the top and then water. Stir, cover, and refrigerate.

Blackberry Sage Flavored Water: (subtle, refreshing flavour). Add sage leaves to jar and bruise with a muddler. Add blackberries; press and twist with muddler to release their juices. Fill the jar with ice cubes, add water to the top, stir, cover and refrigerate.

Watermelon Rosemary Flavored Water: (lovely flavour combo). Add a sprig of rosemary to the jar and muddle gently (rosemary releases a strong flavour without much muddling). Add watermelon cubes; twist and press gently to release juices. Fill the jar with ice cubes, add water to the top, stir, cover and refrigerate.

Here’s the whole gang:It’s hard to pick a favourite because they all have a different, distinctive flavour. All citrus and raspberry lime are both quite tart (and refreshing!), the watermelon rosemary and pineapple mint are the sweetest, and the blackberry sage has the mildest flavour (that may be because out-of-season blackberries weren’t very flavorful). Enjoy all of these varieties;. You can get creative and use this same simple method for combining all kinds of fruits and herbs. 

How long will they keep?: Put a lid on them, put them in the fridge, and they will keep for up to 3 days. It only takes a few minutes to make several varieties to keep on hand. No more boring water for you!

The post Happy Summer: Naturally Flavored Water In Endless Varieties appeared first on The Correspondent.

According to research, it may be that he’s beginning a new decade of life. Dr. Justin Lehmiller explains that being at an age ending in a 9 (i.e. 39, 49, and 59) prompts us to reflect upon the meaningfulness of our lives.

The research seems hard to believe, doesn’t it?

You might notice that men tend to approach relationships differently than women. But, maybe that’s untrue. Maybe they approach them in the same way but other factors are involved, which creates this idea that connecting with someone else intimately is okay.

When there isn’t open dialogue going on in your relationship, your mind creates stories, fantasies, or nightmares about your current situation. This, in turn, leads to other thoughts about your partner and the nature of your relationship. And he may be having these thoughts about you and his relationship with you.

Based on the story he has of you and his relationship with you, he might dive off into a whole fantasy world on what his world looks like.

He’s bored of his life

A cheating husband has gotten to the point where he’s bored of his life. He may have a job that he doesn’t really like anymore. Or, he thinks that he’s had to give up some of his interests in order to be with you. He might be sick and tired of the day to day routine of living, full stop!

The routine of getting up, going to work, putting the garbage out, feeding the dog, and driving the kids to their interests — he’s sick of it all.

Notice that this has nothing whatsoever to do with you. It’s his life that he’s unhappy with. And yet, in order to break the routine, he might just chat up someone that he meets on the train or bus on the way home.

He’s looking for some form of excitement

If he’s bored, he may think he needs some excitement in his life.

He’ll go and do something different — visit a new place, be with different people, and try something new.

And we all know that in a new place, everything looks exciting, right? The excitement leads to hormonal changes in the body and away we go.

Now, in this space, he might think that he’s not looking for anything, but it will only take a woman to show an interest in him and he’ll jump right in.

That’s exciting. He’s fulfilled his fantasy.

He’s having his own identity crisis

His wanting some excitement may be connected to him having his own identity crisis.

Sure, that may have something to do with turning 40, or 50, or 60 years old (or it might not). Or, there may have been something very simple that set off this “crisis”.

Maybe he started comparing himself to one of his best mates. Or perhaps he thought back to his ideal life in College and thinks that he now doesn’t measure up.

Again, this is all about him and who he thinks he is, in relation to you. Nothing to do with you.

He thinks you’re not giving him what he needs in the relationship

He believes in his story that you’re not giving him what he needs.

Sure, he might have told you there are things you’re not giving him and he thinks you understood him. But did you? Did you really hear what it was or was he unclear and you had no idea what he was talking about?

Most men struggle to clearly articulate what their wants and desires are. Yes, that’s a generalization. But, if he was able to clearly tell you what it was he needed in your relationship, maybe this wouldn’t even be an issue.R

He’s killed off your relationship (in his mind)

You might find that he’s already killed off your relationship in his mind and he just hasn’t said anything.

Nothing like having your man tell you that for him, in his mind, your relationship ended five years ago and, yet, he didn’t say anything. It happens.

For his own reasons, he will stay in the relationship and if the opportunity presents itself, he will jump into an affair. Why wouldn’t he? He doesn’t feel connected to you anymore.

There’s an opportunity in understanding all of these reasons why men cheat: You can begin to have more open conversations with your cheating spouse.

Share with him how you’re feeling. Ask him how he’s feeling about your relationship.

The more open you are with him, the more likely he will be to fully open up to you, too.

This is also more likely to lead to openness and an opportunity to discuss and negotiate changes in your relationship, for both of you.

No one-sidedness here. You need to discuss how you can both satisfy the needs you have that you believe you’re not getting in your relationship.

The post 5 Reasons Why Men Cheat appeared first on The Correspondent.

Meet Luca Luce, an Italian makeup artist who creates makeup looks so incredible, they will make your jaw hit the floor. His looks are a huge hit on the photo sharing platform.

It’s all makeup trust me!

You can follow him on his insta. handle @lucaluceartgallery_makeup, to see more such fascinating work of makeup art.;

The post Check Out These Jaw Dropping Makeup Illusions appeared first on The Correspondent.